Histopathology

Histology is the cornerstone of accurate and timely diagnosis in the cancer pathway, understanding the pathogenesis of various neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. Unilabs is the largest independent provider of cellular pathology services in the UK. At our UKAS ISO 15189:2012 accredited Central London laboratory we process and report over 120,000 histopathology cases per annum. Although we have a high throughput we offer a unique and flexible service that centres upon a sub-specialist reporting and unrivalled turnaround times. Our clients also benefit from direct access to pathologists for advice and case discussion, and can access reports immediately via our web-based reporting system.

Whether it is a fully outsourced histopathology service or a short-term contract to address back-logs, Unilabs has over 17 years’ experience in support the needs of both private and NHS organisations.

Frozen Section

Unilabs offers a frozen section service to several hospitals and clinics across London and the South East. Frozen section biopsies are a common perioperative technique in which excised fresh tissue can be rapidly analysed by a consultant pathologist and communicated to the surgeon in theatre. The main purpose of the pathologist is to inform the surgeon whether the surgical margin is clear of malignancy. Booking our pathologists for frozen sections couldn’t be easier – just call our team on 020 7299 4490 for further information. We generally request a minimum of 24-hours notice for frozen sections, however, where possible we try our best to deploy a pathologist and a biomedical scientist for urgent/unplanned requests.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery

In addition to traditional frozen sections Unilabs provides medical and technical expertise for Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Mohs surgery is one of the many methods of obtaining complete margin control during removal of a skin cancer (CCPDMA– complete circumferential peripheral and deep margin assessment using frozen section histology). The Mohs procedure is micrographically controlled so it allows precise removal of the cancerous tissue while healthy tissue is spared. In anatomically important areas (eyelid, nose, lips), tissue sparing and low recurrence rate makes it a procedure of choice by many physicians.

The method involves excising tissue from the tumour base. The frozen section is then examined by the surgeon and/or the pathologist to determine whether or not the resection has been complete. Any residual tumour is mapped and re-excised. The process is continued until all margins are free from the tumour. In addition to the high cure rates associated with this specialist surgery, the frozen section technique maximises the likelihood of clearance while minimising the extent of surrounding normal skin that is removed. This means that the patient will be left with a smaller scar than if they had undergone conventional surgical options.

For several clinics we provide a comprehensive Mohs service whereby a consultant dermamtopathologist and a biomedical scientist are in attendance. Increasing more dermatologists are becoming trained to perform their histopathology analysis. For these clinics we provide experienced Mohs-trained biomedical scientists and laboratory support.